YAML
---
name: updating-technical-documentation
description: Updates technical documentation by analyzing source code changes and modifying docs folder content accordingly. Use when code has changed and documentation needs to be synchronized.
---

# Quick Start

```bash
# 1. Scan for code changes
find src/ -name "*.py" -o -name "*.js" -o -name "*.ts" -o -name "*.java" | head -10

# 2. Check current docs structure
find docs/ -name "*.md" | sort

# 3. Update docs based on code analysis

Workflow

1. Read source code systematically

   • Focus on src/ directory exclusively
   • Parse function signatures, class definitions, and API endpoints
   • Extract docstrings and inline comments
   • Note new features, deprecated methods, changed parameters

2. Identify documentation gaps

   • Compare code structure with existing docs
   • Flag missing documentation for new modules
   • Identify outdated examples and references

Progress:

• Analyze src/ folder structure and identify changes
• Map code components to existing documentation files
• Update API references and function signatures
• Refresh code examples and usage patterns
• Update installation/setup instructions if needed
• Verify cross-references and internal links
• Review for consistency in tone and formatting

3. Update docs/ folder only

   • Modify existing .md files in docs/
   • Create new documentation files as needed
   • Update README files and getting started guides
   • Refresh API documentation and code examples

4. Maintain security boundaries

   • Skip any files containing secrets, API keys, or credentials
   • Ignore .env files, config files with sensitive data
   • Focus on public-facing code functionality only

Examples

Example 1: Input: New authenticate() function added to src/auth/login.py Output: Updated docs/authentication.md with function signature, parameters, return values, and usage example

Example 2: Input: Deprecated method old_parser() in src/utils/parser.py Output: Added deprecation notice to docs/api-reference.md and updated examples to use new_parser()

Example 3: Input: New module src/analytics/metrics.py with 5 public functions Output: Created docs/analytics.md with complete API documentation and integration examples

Best Practices

• Read code first, write docs second - Always analyze the actual implementation
• Use consistent formatting - Match existing docs style and structure
• Include practical examples - Show real usage patterns, not just syntax
• Update cross-references - Fix broken internal links when restructuring
• Version stamp changes - Note what version changes were made for
• Test examples - Ensure code snippets in docs actually work
• Keep security context - Never document internal security mechanisms

Common Pitfalls

• Don't document private/internal functions unless specifically requested
• Don't copy sensitive information from config files into documentation
• Don't assume the docs/ structure - always check what exists first
• Don't write docs for code you haven't read - speculation leads to errors
• Don't break existing docs formatting - maintain consistency
• Don't document implementation details that might change frequently